Machine for re-forming ammunition-shell casings



F. LEMING.

MACHKNE FOR REFORMING AMMUNITION SHELL CASINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24.1919.

1. 3 5 1 38 9 Patented Aug. 31; 1920.

" metallic. casing i's'niore'or less m'utila'ted' or To alliwhom it may concern:

, UNETE'.

FRANK LEMING, or mneimivr; Ass orrUsErra MACHINE r03 RIB-FORMING ntrtionrrron-snntnensures. .7

Be it known that I, FRANK- Lnlvrme, a citizen of'the United States, residlng at Hingham, county of Plymouth, State or Massachusetts, have invented a certain new ambuseful improvement in Machines for lie-Forming Ammunition-Shell Casings, of which the {following-is a specification, retorence being had'therein tothe accompanying drawings; V V J When a shell has been explodecL- the bent, sothat it'has to 'betrued up before it isffit togbe-refilled for use again, because it is necessary that it should have-on its ex terion'sur face a smooth fit for the bore of 'the gun. So far as known to me this has heretofore been done by handor by'hand machines and not automatically and *the process has therefore'been very slow.

T he objectofmy 'i'nventionis to {providean automatic mechanism "into whlch .the

empty-casing nee'dkonly' to be-fed and the machine will automatically reform-the casingandeject it.- The invention consists substantially inproviding rotary drum "with aplura'lity'of dies arranged in'a series in a c rcle-which 1sconcentr c Wlhh the drum, and into which the casings be successively fed, presser mechanism which automatically presses the easingdnto the die, and an ejector mechani-sm whlch at a certain point in the "rotation of the drum -ejectsthe reformed! casing from the che -leaving the die empty for. the reception at the proper feed ing place of another casing-to be reformed.

The invention wi'll be fully understood from the following description when taken in connection wlth the accompanying drawlngs :and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the'close-of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 1s .a vertlcal section of a machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. '1; l t

'Fig. 3 isfa detailed view'of a portionio f the drum showing one of the pr'esser devices and the actnatin' cam therefor.

Referring now to therdrawingsy lis the rotary drum rotatably mounted on fa shaft i 2,.said shaft being mounted inbearings .3, l within the case. 7 Ball bearlngs '6 are preferably .providedbetweenlthe end of the I drum and thetend-fofcth'e casej5. The .drum is provided with anannular gear Twhich'. engageswith a worm 8 Inounted on a driving shaft 9 by meansof whichthe drum is constantly rotated. Preferably the drum is 5.9"

mounted horizontally on the-shaft 2. The,

case5 for the drum is mounted on any-suit- 7 able support,as for instance the legs 10.

The drum is Pr VidediWitha plurality of I dies 'lset into one end-of the drum and ar ranged inthe head of the'drum inra concen trio series around theshaft "2. Inasmuch I, "asthe drum itself may bema'de'of comp'ara tively. soft; inexpensive metal, the dies 11 are preferablymadeseparateEfrom the drum, of" Q hardsteel'set intosockets in the header-the drum, nialnngthem separate from the drum.

Not only "is it unnecessaryfor the drui itself to be made of asv expensiveor hardma;

terial as the dies,blit alsojtheoies maybe :7

renewed 'from time to time "Without discard-* ingvthe drum. ihese dies shouldbe firmly;

secured withinthe sockets in the dru'm by some suitable l means; I 1-11 1 order .to 3 avoid driving themr in so'tight'that theycann'ot be removed when desired, prefer'to-employ some holding or clampingmeohanismsothat Y although the dies are fitted sufi'icientlytight so that th'erewillbe no play, .yet they'need V y not be sotight but that they mayberemoved if-at any time it isdesireduto take-them out and substitute other dies for them, The f clamping Ineans which, 1; employ consists of a member 12 which fits intoa grooved recess in the drumat the side of the socket b which receives the die 11, said clain'phaving a' semicircularinner' portion which engages the-periphery of the die 11 ZLIId lMLVlI Ig at 1ts outer'end a'sem1-annnlar flange 13 which engages -;over the'o uterend'of the die. Said V9 5' clamp issec'ured tothe drumby screWS 4 which pass through fl-i gs ilfifextending from the sides of the clamp and. are screwed into the dr um.

Thqii nr' peripheryfot each-' isQcir-uIOO I cular 1n cross-section and -p erfectly rsmoothf of a d ameter equal to theexterior .di-T

'ameter of the main body of the casing 16 of the shell which is to be reformed.

The drum is provided with a 'plurality of cylindrical holes or recesses 17 one adj acent to each one of the dies and parallel therewith into which loosely fits one leg 18 of a sort of siphon shaped plunger press, the

shortarm 19 of the siphon; shaped member constituting the presser'which is adapted to J set, but it is also rotatable therein.

I Journaled in the arched end 21 of said presser member is a roller 22, WlllOll at cer-. tam stages in the rotation of the drum is adapted to be engaged by a cam 23 which so long as the said roller engages with the high vpart of the cam holds thepresser memher in its most pressed in position, as

shown in Fi ,3 but when the roller ridesoil of the high part of the cam, the spring 20 will thrustthepresser member outward; llach presser member carries on one side thereofat a point outside of the end of the drum, a projection 24-. A cam 25 is mounted on I the frame in a certain position to be engaged by the projection 24 on each presser member. Ata certain point in the rotation of theft nthe saidp 1 up on the-st ace of the cam which will the saidpresser memberto swivel on its axis far enough to turn the short presser arm'19 out of alinement with the mouth of the die.

fin ejector stem 26 passes loosely through ahole 27 in the base 28 of the die and at ltsfmner end is connected with a .foot 29 T which is slidablein'guideways in the drum al d is bifurcated 'at its end. ,Within the forked end of the. ;'foot 29 there is ournale'd a roller '30 on the shaft 31, said roller riding on a cam 32 which is so shaped that alinement with the cam track 32.

at the proper time the ejector member will be forced to. the right, as shown in Fig. 1. The presser foot 29 is formed with a key 3 lwhioh moves in a key-way 35 in the drum 1 in order to keep the rollers 30 in proper I Said jector stem 26 is provided with'a head 33 which isadapted to engage the inner face of the head of/the shellucasing 16. The cam 32 is so formed that when in rotation of the drumthe shell casing has comearound to 'the proper position after having been forced into the die to reform the shell casing, said ejector will be forced outward thereby pro- Preferably the Saidzarm 18 is not only slidable jecting the shell casing outward from the di This ejection takes place sometime; shortly :after the presser member has been, turned out of alinement with the end of the shell casing, that is after it has passed the cam 25?,as shown in Fig. 2. After the shell casing has been pushedoutward by the ejector it may be easily removed by hand or by any suitable mechanism. If desired the movement of the ejector 26 may be sufficient, in extent to completely eject the shell casing. 1

iter the shell casing has been ejected, the presser arm19 being still out of alinement with the die, another shell casing WhiClI '1S to be reformed may be introduced; into they month of the die, either by hand or by suitable automatic feeding device, just far enough so that it will not fall out, and then in the rotation of the drum the presser memher will be caused to swivel back' o'n its axis tobring the presser arm 19 into alinement v with the shell casing Any suitable means may be provided to cause this return SWIV- elmg movement of the resser member. One

- means for doing this is to make fast one end as of the spring 20 to the drum, and to make fast the other end 35 tothe lower end of the arm, 18 of the presser member so' that when the presser member, is swiveled on its axis by means of the cam 25 to turn the presser arm '19 out of alinement with the shell casing, the said spring 20 will be wound up, and, when the projection 24: on

thepresser member rides off of the cam 25 the tension of thespring 20. will cause the presser member to swingback into alinement with the opening in the die. .In the meantime, however, the shell which has been reformed shouldbe ejected and. another shell should be introduced into the die be fore the presser 19 swingsback. into open ative position. I

The operation of the machine therefore is as follows: The drum 1 is rotating, prefer} when the die 11 is empty and the presser ably continuously. I At the proper station member 19 is out of alinement. therewith ashell should be introduced partwayiinto the die and held therein untilin the rotation of the drum the presser arm 19 comes into alinement with the end of-the shell casing. Then the roller 22 will begin to ride up on the incline 36 of the cam 23, atwhich time the presser arm 19 will begin to press the shell casing into thedie and it willhold.

the shell casing within the die as long as the roller 22 rides along on the high part of the cam 23. The forcing in of the shell flcas ing' will smooth out and true up the exterior periphery of the shell casing. "It is not so essential to smooth out the interior surface of the shell caslng, or evenv to entlrely obliterate inward bendlngs of the exterior surface of the shell casing, butit is impor- I die, 'and nmeans' forswinging .thepresser tant and essential thatthere shall :be-no out ward bulges and also that the exterior-surface shall be substantially cylindrical and it shall not be ammedinto elliptical .formin' cross-section, it being absolutely '1 essential that the exterior surface shall be such that it will slide easily in the-barrel or chamber ofthe gun, or whatever other shell using' 1'. A machine for reforming mutilated" shell casings having a'rotary member provided with aplurality of dies, each shaped I.

to give correct form to a mutilated casing, a plurality of presserm'embers equal in number to the dies mounted on the-die'carrier and adapted to be moved :into' and out of operative relation'tothe dies,wmeans for ro-w tating-said die carrier, means for forcing each presser member in respectiveorder t0- ward'the die to force a casingiinto the die when the carrier inzits rotation reaches a predetermined point, means for retracting the presser member at a predetermined point after the casing has been forced into the member out of alinementwith the die after iehas been withdrawn from the die.

21A machine for reforming mutilated she'll casings having a rotary member provided with a plurality of dies, each shaped to give correct form to a mutilated casing,ra

plurality of presser members equal in num-' ber to the dies mounted on the die carrier and adapted to be moved into and out of operative relation to the dies, means for rotating said die carrier,-'means for forcing" eachpres ser member in respective order to ward the die to force a-casing into the die.

when the carrier in its rotation reaches .a predetermined point, means for retracting the pressermember at a predetermined point after vthe casing has been forcedrinto the die, means for swinging the .presser member out of alinementwiththe die after it has been withdrawn from the die, and means for engaging the casingand ejecting it from the. die'after it has been forced in by the pre'sser member when the presser member v 1 r g a r therefor atthe entrance to the die, means has withdrawn.

3; A machine for reforming ammunition shell casings comprising arotary member havingmounted therein a plurality of female dies shaped to the contour of the easing-in its true form, movable p'resser members which are mounted on "said rotary, die

which are movable: into and out of alinementlwith the dies respectively in addition toitheir movement bodilywith the carrier, means which during the-rotation of the diecarrier causes-zeachpresser member at a certain" period in its travel with thewdie carrier, to :move into alinementwith itsdie at some distance outward therefrom, means for :then pressingthe presser member inward and thereby forcing a' casing into the die, if a casing hasbeen' properly positioned therefor, means for causing thelretraction' of the'presser member at a predetermined point in the rotation of the carrier, and

means for causing the presser member-to r also move out of ali'nementwiththe die.

4. A machine for reforming'ammunition I shell casings comprlsing a "rotary member; having mounted therein a plurality of female dies shaped tolthe contour of-the' casing in its true form, movable presser memberswhich are mounted on said rotary die car-i rier, a presser member for eac'h' 'die, said presser'members-being movable-intoand out, I i .of al n'ement with the'dies respectively "in.

additionto their movement bodily with the;

carrier, meanswhich during therotation of the die carrier causeseach presseramember at a certain period in-its travel with thedie 'carrier,.t0 moveinto alinement with its die at some distance outward therefrom, means for then causing the presser me'mber'to move inward and thereby force a casing into the die, if a casing has been properly-positioned therefor,-means for: causing the retraction of the presser member at a predetermined point in the rotationgof the'car'ri'er', and for causing the presser member to also move out of allnement with the d1e, and,means for been withdrawn.

5. A machine for reforming:ammunition shell casings comprising a rotary carrier having mounted thereln a d e shaped tothe contour of the casinginits true form, means for rotating the carr1er,'amovable pressermember which is mounted on said carrien and which ismovable'into and out'0f aline-,,

ment with the die; in addition 'to its-move ment bodily with the carrier 1111a rotary v path, means which during thQ IOiltltlOIl of": the die carrler causes the saidipresser mem- I ber to move inward when in its alined posZi-f tion and thereby force the: casing. into the; die, if a casing has been properly positioned for causing the retraction of the-presser member from the die, means for turningt'he I presser member out of "alinement L with .the

die after it is retracted, and means for again movlngthe presser member into-ahnementwith the die. I

6. A;machine-for reforming ammunition c shell casings comprisinga rotary drum havji-io ing a pl'uralityof female dies mounted there- 1n, arranged in a series 'COIICQIltIlC with the axis of, the drum,- means for rotating the drum, a plurality of siphon shaped presser members, the long arm of each of which is mounted shdably in a socket 1n the drum, v

there being. one of said presser members adacent each die, and means whereby at a certain period 1n the rotary movement of 'l said drum, said presser member is forced inward causing the short arm of the presser member to engage with-a casing and force it into the die, if the casing hasbeen previously positioned in the mouth of the die. 7 7. A machine for reforming ammunition shell casings comprising a rotary drum havinga'plural-ity of female dies mountedthere- V in, arranged'in a series concentricwith the axis of the drum, means for rotating the drum, a plurality of siphon shaped presser members, the long arm of each of which is mounted sli'dably ina socketin the'drum, there being one of said presser members adjacent each die, means whereby ata certain period in the rotary movement of said drum,

said presser member is forced inward cans-- ing the short arm of the presser memberto engage with and force into the die'a casing, if the same has been previously posltioned in the mouth of the die, the long arm of'the presser member being rotatable as well as slidable in its socket bearing, means for swiveling said presser member, and means for controlling the swiveling action whereby the presser arm will be swung out of alinement with the die after it has forced the casing into the die.

8. A machine for reforming ammunition shell casings comprising a rotary drum having a plurality of female dies mounted therein, arranged in a series concentric with the axis of the drum, means for rotating the drum, a plurality of siphonshapedpresser a members, the longarm of each of which is mounted slidably in ajsocket in the drum,

there being one of said'presser members jacent each'die, means whereby at a certain period in the rotary movement of said drum, 1

1 said presser member is forced inwaru causingthe short arm of the pressermember to engage with and force into the diea casing, if the same has been previously positioned .in the mouth of thedie,the long arm of the presser member being rotatable aswell as slidable inits socket bearing, means for swiveling said presser member, means for controlling the swiveling action whereby th presser arm will be swung out of alinement with the die after it has forced the easing into the die, means for causing the outward retraction of said presser member, and

means for swiveling the presser member so as to bring the short arm again into aline ment with the die at some distance outward from the entrance thereto.

9. A machine for reforming ammunition shell. casings comprising a rotary drum having a plurality of female dies mounted therein, arranged in a seriesconcentric with the axis of the drum, means for rotating the mouth of thedie, the long. arm of the presser member being rotatable aswell as slidable in its socket bearing, means for swlvehng said presser member, means for controlllng the swiveling action whereby the presser arm will be swung out of alinement with the die after it. has forced the, easing into the die, means for causing the outward retraction of drum, a plurality of siphon shaped presser said presser member, andmeans forswiveling the presser member'so as to bring the short arm again into alinement with the die at some distance outward from the entrance thereto, a reciprocable plunger slidable within the die and through the base thereof, and means for reciprocating said plunger so controlled and timed with relation to the move-c ment of the drum andof the presser member that after the shell casing has been forced .into the die and the presser member withdrawn therefrom, said plunger will be moved outward to engage the head of the casing and push it outward from the die;

10. "A machine for reforming ammunition shell casings having a rotary die holder, a die mounted in said holder'shaped to receive and reform a mutilated shell casing, a

clamping member partially surrounding the. c

said die, a recess in the die holder in which SitlClClELIllPlllg member is set, said clamplng member havinga flange which engages the outer end-0f the die, and means'for securing the clamping memberto the die holder.

'11. -A machine for reforming ammunition shell casings having a rotary die holder, a

die mounted in saidholder shaped to receive and reform a mutilated shell-casing, a

I siphon shaped presser member, the die carrier being formedin a recess in which the long arm of the presser member is recip rocable, the short arm of the presser member '7 being adapted to be in alinement with the entrance of" the die when the long arm of the presser'member is in a certainposition on its axis, said long arm being rotated 0n its-axis to swing the short arm of the presser member out of alinement with thedie, means for forcing the long arm of the "presser member outward to cause, the short arm to be moved axially outward away from the certain period in the rotation of the die card1e carrier, a cam whlch during a certain rler whereby the presser arm is swung out lo point in the rotation of the die carrier moves of alinement with the die, and means which the pressermember inward causing the short at another stage in the movement swings the arm of the presser member to move inward presser arm into alinement with the die. with relation to the die, a projection on said j In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. presser member, a cam with which said pro- 7 j Y jection on the presser member engages at a' FRANK LEMING. 

